This may seem obvious, but NEVER leave your black tank gates or pulls open while you are camping or using your RV’s holding tanks. We should all know that. But what about your gray tank’s pulls?

What’s wrong with leaving your pulls open?

When your holding tank release pulls are open, the tank’s contents are evacuated through your RV’s waste system and out the sewer hose attached to your RV. When your tanks are 90% to 100% full, the liquid forms a vortex in your tank, helping to wash away all of the waste material inside. A full tank empties better than one that is a third or half full.

But leaving a tank pull open allows water or liquid to seep out, leaving any solids behind. In a black tank, that means human waste and toilet paper pile up, creating a mound that will soon clog your black holding tank and cause a back up in your waste system. Yuck!

But there’s no waste in your gray tank

That’s not exactly true. Your gray tank contains soap, grease, food waste, hair, and other stuff that washes off of you at the sink or during a shower. One time, that all starts to stick together into clumps. Plus, your gray tank is the perfect environment for mold growth, especially slime mold.

By leaving your gray tank’s pull open, the water or liquid drains out, leaving this debris behind. It’s not as dire of a situation as leaving your black tank’s pull open, but it can still cause a stinky gray holding tank and even cause build up over time.

When you can leave your gray tank pull open

What about doing laundry in a clothes washer? Even low-water use washing machines can create a fantastic amount of waste water. It’s okay to leave your gray tank’s pull open when doing laundry.

The post Should You Leave Your RV’s Holding Tank Pulls Open or Closed? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

We get it. As an RVer, you’re looking for a dump-and-forget solution to your holding tanks. Something that will (hopefully) get (and keep) tank sensors reading accurately again. Something that will eliminate (or, at least, reduce) odors from your holding tanks. And maybe even something that seems to make emptying of your tanks easier, faster, and more complete.

We get it. As RVers, we want that too.

Your tank solution is not helping matters

That’s right. Whether you’re putting in an enzyme solution, some mystical mixture of chemicals, or — hopefully not — a formaldehyde additive, what you are adding to your RV’s holding tanks is actually making situation in them worse.

You see, that tank solution is doing exactly what it was designed to do: Digest, breakdown, or otherwise change the consistency of the solid waste in your holding tank to something more liquid. The problem is, that liquid is more like a pancake batter — thick, sticky, and likely to be now fouling up your holding tank’s sensors.

And besides misreading sensors, that sticky mess never truly drains out of your black holding tank. Some of it stays behind, in your tank, each time you pull the tank valve release. Over time, more and more builds up, causing more and more problems.

Think of it this way: What would exit a holding tank quicker and more completely? A tank full of thick, sticky pancake batter-like waste or a tank of water with solids floating around in it? The second situation, of course.

How do you stop the cycle?

First, stop using that digesting tank solution you’ve been using. Then, schedule a service for a professional tank cleaning with Kleen Tank or any of our sister All Pro Water Flow dealers. That’s the only way you’re tanks will get truly “factory clean.”

Practice good tank care by following these additional recommendations:

• Only empty your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full. If you have to empty them before that point, add fresh, clean water to raise the level in your tanks.
• Flush your holding tanks after they are empty by using the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It works on both your black and gray tanks and will help keep your tanks clean.
• “Prime the system” after empty the tanks by adding three to five gallons of water (depending on your holding tank’s capacity) before using your RV’s waste system again.

And now, the special recipe

If you want to use a tank additive, we recommend the following:

• Use a clean, empty one-gallon plastic jug or bottle
• Measure 40 ounces of Pine-Sol (or similar pine oil cleaner) into the jug or bottle
• Add four ounces of Calgon bath powder, liquid, or bath beads to the jug or bottle
• Slowly add water to the jug or bottle. The contents will foam, so be patient.
• Put the cap on the jug or bottle and shake
• Every time you’ve emptied your holding tanks, add 1/2 cup of this solution (to both tanks)

What’s this solution do?

Remember, your holding tanks are not a septic system. You do not want anything breaking down in them. The key ingredient here is the Calgon. It’s a surfacant, breaking down the surface tension of water or liquid in the tank and making the tank’s surfaces slippery. It will help waste from sticking to the inside of the tank.

The Pine-Sol is a strong disinfectant and has an odor-masking quality. Note that you can use other brands of pine oil cleaner than Pine-Sol.

Follow this recipe and you can make a gallon of tank solution for about $10. That’s 50 tank treatments! If you see us at an RV rally you’re at, ask us for a sample bottle of this solution. We’ve got plenty and love to hand them out to fellow RVers.

The post Throw away your RV tank additive; use this instead appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Holding tank solution manufacturers, RV sales centers, and even rally vendors claim “miracle” tank solutions will solve your problems: They’ll get your tank’s sensors reading correctly, they’ll eliminate odors, and your tanks will empty faster and more completely. Are they right? Not even close.

It’s called a holding tank for a reason

Your RV’s holding tanks are just that — holding tanks. They are designed to hold waste from your RV (either the toilet, sinks, or shower) until they are full, when you pull the release valve and the tank’s contents empty into the RV park’s waste system (and then, likely, into a municipal waste processing system).

Why isn’t is a septic system?

In a septic system, waste is broken down into a liquid (or, less solid) form and then disposed of (also the the RV park’s waste system when your holding tanks are full). In a septic system, a tank solution chemical, enzyme, or biological is added to the tanks, usually as a liquid, powder, or even degradable pod.

But those same chemicals, enzymes, or other biological agents break down waste into a pancake batter — thick, sticky, and likely to be now fouling up your holding tank’s sensors.

And besides misreading sensors, that sticky mess never truly drains out of your black holding tank. Some of it stays behind, in your tank, each time you pull the tank valve release. Over time, more and more builds up, causing more and more problems.

Why is that a bad thing?

Think of it this way: What would exit a holding tank quicker and more completely? A tank full of thick, sticky pancake batter-like waste or a tank of water with solids floating around in it? The second situation, of course.

Start treating your RV’s holding tanks less like a septic system and more like what they’re named after — to hold waste in a mostly liquid form with some solids suspended and floating, until the tanks are full and emptied.

The post RV holding tanks vs. septic: What’s the difference? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

If there’s one thing on RVs that we’ve almost seen couples come to fisticuffs on, it’s their holding tanks. We think we know what’s going on in there and yet there’s a lot of frustration surrounding them. So let’s get to the bottom of it. What’s really going on inside those things?

What is a holding tank?

Well, as you might guess, it’s a box. A large, plastic box in almost every case (some older ones were made of metal). Rectangular in shape, they tend to either be cube-like or long, flat, and not very deep. Both types have angled bottoms that tip toward the front. That’s how waste and water flows out.

Almost all RV plumbing systems dump into holding tanks from the top. In the best of cases, waste and water comes straight down and goes into the tank, but in most cases, there’s some bends and runs in the RV waste system plumbing.

At the front of the holding tank, a large, 3-inch or 1-1/2″ (black tank vs. gray tank) hole is drilled. This is how waste gets out of the tank when the valve is pulled to empty the tank. Tanks empty themselves using gravity (i.e. waste and water flow “down hill” out of the tank and into the flexible sewer hose, then out into the RV park’s sewer system).

Your tanks are for holding, not composting

As we’ve said before, your RV’s holding tanks are not a septic system. They were not intended to hold a mass of water waste and allow it to break down. In fact, by adding tank additives that contain harsh chemicals, enzymes, or biologicals, you’re just making things worse in your holding tanks. Why?

Those additives are doing exactly what they are intended to do: break down waste in your tanks. But, they’re breaking it down into a thick, sticky slurry that has a hard time flowing out of the tank. Plus, that sticky mess is making your tank sensors misread. And it never truly all comes out, unless you have your tanks professionally cleaned by a service like Kleen Tank or any of our sister All Pro Water Flow companies.

So what do you do?

There are some “best practices” to follow when caring for your RV’s holding tanks:

• Stop using tank additives, especially those that contain harsh chemicals, enzymes, or biologicals. If you really want to use something in your tank to improve flow and keep odors at bay, our homemade solution works well and is very affordable.
• Dump your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full. If you have to dump them before they are full, add fresh, clean water to raise the level in the tanks.
• Use a product like the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It’s a great way to really flush out holding tanks and get them clean. Plus, they flood your holding tanks faster than your in-tank system for your black tank and you can use it on both black and gray tanks!
• Once your tanks are empty, be sure to “prime the system” in each tank by adding three to five gallons (depending on your holding tank’s capacity) to give a base of clean water to start out with. It’s also good to add the same amount of clean water to your holding tanks when you are traveling with our RV.

Get your tanks professionally cleaned on a regular basis

The post RV holding tanks: What’s going on inside, exactly? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Doubtless you have some questions about your tanks and how to flush them out. Here’s some of the most common ones we hear:

Q. My RV has a tank flushing system. Why do I need something else?
A. The in-tank rinsing system in your black holding tank sprays in set pattern, either through a single spray head or a rotating array of nozzles. While it’s a good system, it can take a long time to fill your holding tank to thoroughly flush it out. Plus, it’s only in your RV’s black tank. We do recommend, however, that you turn the rinsing system on while you are emptying the black tank. The added turbulence and flow of water is helpful.

Q. I use the tank flushing system after I empty the tank. Isn’t that enough?
A. The PSI of your in-tank rinsing system is 100 PSI to 150 PSI, since it comes from the RV park’s pressurized water supply (usually 40 to 80 PSI). Reduction of pipe size and the nozzle spray head increases that pressure a bit, but the flow rate is reduced. It can take a long time (a half hour or more) to fill up your black holding tank for rinsing. Plus, again, there’s no similar system in your gray holding tanks.

Yes, your RV’s black tank has a rinsing system built in. But it rinses, not flushes, and there’s no similar mechanism for your gray holding tanks.

So what’s the solution?

We use as a part of our professional holding tank cleaning service — and recommend to our customers — the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve. It’s the best way to quickly fill your holding tanks so that they can be thoroughly flushed out. Here’s how to do it:

1. Empty each of your holding tanks as you normally would.
2. Make sure that the holding tank release valves are closed.
3. Disconnect your flexible sewer hose from the attachment on your RV, in your waste system bay, or where the flexible hose attaches to your main pipe fitting.
4. Attach the Flush King to that same main pipe fitting.
5. Attach your flexible sewer hose to the other end of the Flush King.
6. Attach a water hose from the pressurized water tap at your site to the fitting on the Flush King. Never use the same hose you use for your potable water supply.
7. Close the valve on the Flush King, preventing any water from your RV to travel down your flexible sewer hose.
8. Starting with your black tank, pull the release valve for that tank (so it is open).
9. Turn on the water supply knob on the Flush King. Pressured water should now be rushing into your black holding tank.
10. Depending on the pressure of the RV park water and the capacity of your holding tank, the tank should fill in anywhere from a minute or so to around three or four minutes. If your sensors work, you (or someone inside the RV) can monitor them to indicate the tank is full. You may wish to get a water meter and attach that to your pressurized water supply hose to monitor how much water is going into your holding tanks (that’s what we do).
11. When the holding tank is 90% full (be careful not to go over the tank’s maximum capacity), stop the flow of water into your holding tank by turning off the knob on the Flush King.
12. Open up the release valve on the Flush King (on the flexible sewer hose side). Water will rush out, down the flexible sewer hose and into the the RV parks sewage system or tank). Watch to see how clear the water is (we bet you’ll see quite a bit of waste).
13. Repeat steps 7 through 12 until the water from your black tank runs clear.
14. Repeat steps 7 through 13 for the gray holding tanks.

Get the Valterra Flush King and use it to keep your tanks clean and working properly.

Can we ask you a favor?

We normally have the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve for sale at our vendor booth when we attend a rally and always have one or two for sale on our service truck if anyone wanted to buy one at the time of service. You can certainly purchase them at some camping store locations like Camping World as well.

If you are interested, however, in ordering a Valterra Flush King online from Amazon.com, we ask that you click on this link. Purchasing the Valterra Flush King via this link won’t cost you anything, but Kleen Tank earns a very small commission from your Amazon.com purchase. Thank you!

The post The Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve appeared first on Kleen Tank.

To be direct, no. Absolutely not. We were called the other day by an RV owner at a local RV resort. The customer couldn’t get their toilet to flush. “The stuff won’t go down,” she said. We knew exactly what the problem was.

What did we find?

We got the RV and took a look. All three gate valves were open and we knew exactly what to expect. The owner said she had her son “go and flush some water up into the tanks” but all that happened was the toilet overflowed and there was a gurgling sound from the shower and galley drains.

Long story short, the customer had a clog in the waste drain pipes from the holding tank to the flexible sewer hose. A big one. A monumental one. One that required we suit up in Tyvek. You get the picture.

So what happened?

Think about it. By leaving the black tank’s valve open, water and liquid waste seeps out. What’s left is a concentrated mix of solid waste and toilet paper. The more liquid that seeps out, the more compacted and dried out the solids become.

It took us nearly an hour just to clear the clog, plus another half hour to clean the insides of the tank with our hydrojetter. Eleven back flushes (one away from our record!) and the tank was finally clean.

The final word.

Many RVers leave their gray tank valves open. We’re not big fans of that either. Your RV’s holding tanks work best when there’s at least a 50:50 ratio of waste to water. Leaving the release valves open removes the water from equation. It’s not so bad in gray tanks, but those too can have solids drop out and accumulate in tank corners and other areas that don’t benefit from the rush of water when emptying the tanks.

Keeping the black tank valve open is just asking for trouble. Don’t do it and remember that your RV’s holding tanks are not a septic system, they are a holding system. Waste and water is intended to be retained in the tanks (essentially, large plastic boxes) until they are full and ready to be empties periodically.

The post How to get your RV’s gray holding tanks clean appeared first on Kleen Tank.

We’re asked all the time: Aren’t my tank sprayers enough? The simple answer is, no.

All modern RVs have an onboard tank spraying system in their black tanks. It consists of a standard garden hose connection, bringing city or RV park water to your RV, a PEX line from there what travels to your hold tank (typically, the top, but sometimes the side) and ends with a nozzle protruding into the holding tank.

In most RV’s the spray system sprays in a fan-shaped pattern, though some systems have a spinning head. The nozzle head is typically metal, meaning that corrosion can become a problem long-term.

But there’s no substitute for the power of hydrojetting that comes from a professional holding tank cleaning.

Does the spray system get my tank clean?
No. It simply acts as a rinsing mechanism. The relative PSI from the nozzle head is between 100 PSI and 150 PSI, mainly from the reduction in the PEX tube and further through the nozzle head. Especially large RVs, like 5th wheels, where a tank (or second tank, like at a rear bathroom) is farther from the water inlet may experience even greater loss of pressure as the water travels to the black tank.

What about my gray tanks?
You’re out of luck there, unless an after-market spray system has been installed. There are some on the market, namely the Camco Tornado Rotary Tank Rinser and Camco Quickie Flush. You would need to have access to the tanks, something that can be difficult depending on the layout and architecture of your RV. It may require removing the belly pan on some RVs.

What is hydrojetting?
Using a heavy-duty, electric commercial water pump, we send a special, flexible wand up your RV’s sewer pipes, past gate valves, and into your tanks. There, water is pumped in at 1,500 PSI through proprietary nozzles. Water at this pressure scrubs the tank surfaces clean and breaking up built-up gunk, residue from enzymes and other tank additives.

Any clogs or mounds of waste (like in hard-to-rinse tank corners or along the front tank bulkhead) that can’t be removed by your tank rinser are easily broken up and ready to be pulled out during the rinsing step of our cleaning process.

It’s what we call hydrojetting and only authorized All Pro Water Flow dealers like Kleen Tank have it.

Do we use heated water or chemicals?
No, just plain water. We could heat the water, but it travels through the system at such a fantastic flow rate that it would have little effect on anything in your tanks. Likewise, chemicals aren’t needed as nothing is in your tank long enough to be dissolved or affected.

What happens next?
After the cleaning step, we remove the wand and cleaning head, and install a backlash valve between your RV’s sewer pipe fitting and the flexible sewer hose. There are two main types of backflush valves — both accomplish the same task — but we prefer the Valterra Flush King Back Flush Valve as it seems more durable and effective, compared to the Camco version.

What should I do ongoing?
Once you’ve had your tanks professionally cleaned (once a year is recommended — full-timers may need it twice a year), we recommend some simple steps:

• Empty your holding tanks when they are 90% to 100% full. If they aren’t that full and you need to empty them, add water either through your flush system (for your black tanks) or inside the RV, by opening the water taps in your shower or galley.
• Turn on your black tank spraying system when emptying your black tanks. That extra turbulence and volume of water will help keep things moving along.
• Use a backflush valve like the Valterra Flush King once every second or third tank emptying. It will help to keep your tanks clean between professional services. Use it on both black and gray tanks.

If you have questions about your holding tanks, RV waste system, or would like to schedule a hydrojetting cleaning service for your RV’s holding tanks, either locally or at a rally, let us know!

The post How does hydrojetting work? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

Miss Part One in our series of rally seminar question and answer articles? You may want to take a look at that blog entry too! Here are five more questions we commonly get asked.

Q. How do I clean my gray water tank sensors?
A. It seems gray tank sensors work about as well as black tank sensors! The reasons they don’t work are pretty similar: There’s a build-up for waste or other matter on the sensors in the tank, preventing accurate readings. Our special tank solution — a simple mixture of Calgon, Pine-Sol, and water — will work in your gray tanks too, helping to keep them clean and, in most cases, keeping working sensors reading accurately.

Q. How do you keep a black tank from smelling?
A. Black (and gray, for that matter) tanks smell because they contain human and other type of waste in them. The most you can do is mask the smell. Even adding enzymes, bacteria, or harsh chemicals that break down waste only make that same smelly mess just a tank-load of sticky, smelly waste. Our special tank solution contains Pine-Sol, a good disinfectant AND a great odor masking ingredient. Give it a try.

Q. How do I unclog my RV’s toilet?
A. That’s a messy situation, to say the least. Many RV owners will use an RV toilet cleaning wand, a long (24″ to 30″) tube of plastic that connect to a garden hose and has holes in the end to spray water down the toilet and into the holding tank. While this may work in some cases, many RV toilets have a bend in the waste pipe or longer drop into the tank. Plus, using these flush wands could introduce human waste into the interior of your RV. Yuck!

Kleen Tank has special equipment to clear mounds, clogs, and other obstructions. You may want to contact us for this special situation — a complete tank cleaning is also part of our process to clear the problem.

Q. What can I use to clean my RV toilet?
A. We presume the question is about the surfaces of the toilet, specifically the bowl. While you should never introduce bleach or other harsh cleaning chemicals into your waste system (they can break down soft rubber seals over time), there is a good way to keep your toilet clean.

First, be sure you are using enough water in the bowl. Follow each bowlful of waste with a bowlful of water. And we like to add another half bowl of water to the toilet to act as a seal against smells coming up from the holding tank.

Second, our special hold tank solution has Calgon in it which will keep all the surfaces of your RV’s waste system slippery. Yep, even the toilet bowl.

Finally, you can use a cleaning wipe to quickly clean the toilet bowl. Use gloves, of course, and never flush down the wipe into the holding tank — just throw it away.

Q. Can I dump my gray water directly onto the ground?
A. We know people who have done this in extreme circumstances (like book docking or when their gray water tank filled up before a honey wagon could come or they could visit a dump station). In general, it’s not a good idea and may even be prevented by state or local laws. Plan ahead to eliminate the need to have to do this. Use the RV park’s facilities and shower, wash dishes in a bucket and dump it down a dump station drain, or try to use bathroom facilities when you are in town.

We’ve got more questions from rally seminars to share with you in the coming weeks. Come back to read more and be a smart RVer!

The post More rally seminar questions appeared first on Kleen Tank.

First, those tank additives — biologicals, enzymes, or chemicals — are doing exactly what they claim to: They break down solids and other waste in your holding tanks, especially the black tank. Given the right conditions and time, anything in your tank turns into a thick sludge — that’s also very sticky, like pancake batter.

So, think about it. Your holding tank is a big, plastic box. There’s a fair amount (we hope) of water or, at least, liquid in there. You introduce waste and solids, such as toilet paper. In what situation would that holding tank empty faster, more completely, and better? Full of water with solids suspended in it or full of that soft, sticky, broken-down mess? Yep, the water with solids suspended in it.

But we’re told we need to add something to our tanks, right? Yes, we are told that. By RV dealers who don’t know any better. By tank additive manufacturers who want you to buy their product. By RV rally vendors who want to make a sale.

The truth is, the only thing you need to add to your tanks is water. And lots of it. And then dump with some frequency, probably more than you do now. Your RV’s holding tanks are just that — holding tanks — not a septic system. It is not intended for you to have stuff in there for long, encouraging it all to break down with chemicals, enzymes, and other additives.

How do we know tank additives are bad? Because we’ve cleaned nearly a thousand holding tanks and EVERY time a customer uses additives to break down waste, what comes out during our cleaning is a literal slow-moving river of sticky, messy and smelly slurry. A healthy tank is one that empties quickly (because solids are suspended in water), completely (because nothing is sticking to surfaces, especially those darned sensors), and without problems (clog and mounds are eliminated because tanks are completely emptied more often).

If you must use an additive, we recommend a simple mixture of Calgon bath beads (a water softener) and Pine-Sol. The water softener breaks the surface tension of water in the tank, preventing anything from sticking to tank surfaces and sensors. The Pine-Sol is a disinfectant with strong odor masking properties, it will keep your tanks smelling better.

How do you make this solution? Easy! Take an empty gallon (128 ounce) bottle or jug. Add in 40 ounces (5 cups) of Pine-Sol (or something similar, like Pine Power). Pour in 4 ounces (1/2 cup) of Calgon (we like the bath pearls, but liquid or powder is fine too). Carefully fill the gallon bottle or jug with water (it will foam a lot, so go slowly and allow the foam to settle). Shake thoroughly. Pour in 1/2 to one cup of this mixture into your black tank each time, after you empty it. You can also use 1/2 cup in your gray tank to keep it functioning well too.

Use whatever tank additive you wish. Or not. But if it’s a biological, enzyme, or chemical, be sure to schedule more frequent tank cleanings — you’ll need them to get your tanks clean and your sensors working properly again.

The post Which Tank Additive is Best? appeared first on Kleen Tank.

We get asked that question plenty of times. In fact, it ranks right up there with “What tank additive should I use?” and “Why do I need your service? I already have a flush system in my gray tank.”

We’ve serviced hundreds — maybe even more than a thousand — RV holding tanks. And while no one should be leaving their black tank valves open for any reason, we’ve seen plenty of instances where gray tank valves are rarely shut.

What happens in these cases? Simple.

Think about that holding tank: A big, squarish, plastic box. The bottom of the tank slopes toward the front, where your RV’s sewer pipes collect waste to transport to your sewer hose and out into the RV park’s sewer system. That sewer pipe meets up to the holding tank at the front, or lowest part, of the tank. Waste exits via gravity (i.e. it goes downhill). However, waste also builds up along that low, front wall of the tank.

When your gray tank is full of water and waste, pulling or opening the gate valves releases the contents of the tank, effectively sweeping everything out (like suspended waste particles). When you keep the valve open, liquid slowly seeps out, leaving waste behind.

Is it a lot? No, probably not. But a few rice grains here, some soap scum there, add in coffee grounds, food scraps, and, over time, these start to combine into a sticky, rotting mess.

Leaving your gray tank valves open only invites problems later. A better solution is, just like with your black tank, to leave the gate valve closed, allow waste and water to collect until the tanks are full, then empty them periodically.

The post Tank Valves are an Open and Shut Case appeared first on Kleen Tank.